The Depth of the Sacrifice

                
          Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Ephesians 2:6-8)

            There’s a video on social media about a man who comes home after work and finds the house is a mess. If I remember correctly, the dinner isn’t done yet. He expresses his dissatisfaction to his wife, asking her what she’d done all day. In disgust, she leaves the kitchen, throwing a notebook in the garbage as she goes. A few minutes later, he finds the notebook, and the long list of things she had done in an effort to make the evening special for her husband. He’s ashamed. I’ve also seen a vlog in which a young father takes on the task of getting his kid(s) to school. He’s shocked.

            Honestly, I think some wives would be equally ashamed when they discover how much their husbands do when they’re at work. I’m not discussing a “women’s place” or a “men’s role.”  I’m just pointing out how easy it is to assume that because we don’t see how much someone does, that they don’t really do all that much. It’s a type of “out of sight, out of mind.”

            Around Easter, it’s normal to talk about what Jesus sacrificed, but there’s a Christmas carol that reminds us about it. I’ve included just the first three verses.

1 Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

2 Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

3 The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

          Sometimes, I think when we think about Jesus leaving His throne, we tend to think of Heaven as being a little better than Grove Isle/Bayshore (Miami area.) Sure, Jesus slummed when he came here, but really, it wasn’t that big a change. OK, maybe it’d be like Queen Elizabeth II flipping burgers at McDonald’s, but you know, it was a fling, a sort of burp in eternity. It was His choice, and He was up to the challenge. What’s the big deal? By coming here, He learned something a little humility. Did Him good, no doubt. You know, like Undercover Boss, or those movies about the spoiled Executives (or their children) who are forced to live like the rest of us in order to earn their inheritance.

            But what if leaving His throne and His kingly crown and coming to earth as one of lowly birth was much bigger than we think? What if His role in Heaven was much larger, the sacrifice was much larger than we understand? What if it’s more than “A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court”? What if it’s a little more like the NFL stars who quit to become soldiers or potato farmers? Or what if it’s more like going off the grid entirely and living as a subsistence farmer out in Montana somewhere? Quite honestly, I don’t think we can begin to understand the enormity of the sacrifice, but it’s something good to think about at this time of year.

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